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How to Avoid the 7 Worst Marketing Mistakes Small Businesses Make

Sunday, January 27th, 2013

Courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In my previous role as VP of Marketing in the corporate arena, and in the past 10 years of advising entrepreneurs and small businesses in their marketing efforts (and in my own business), I’ve seen great marketing strategies and tactics implemented, as well as terrible ones. In tough economic times like these, as in all times, small businesses must be very prudent in their investments and marketing, and understand exactly what to expect in terms of their return on investment.

Below are the top seven marketing blunders I see each and every day that are catastrophic to small business  success:

1)  Your business model is flawed

I’ve worked with scores of coaches, consultants and advisers over the years who’ve made the mistake of jumping into a new business that depends solely on one model that will never work for them – a model that can’t provide sustainable, consistent income or support what these business owners truly want to do in their work.

For example, many types of coaches are dependent on the hourly-payment model (getting clients who pay by the hour for sessions), yet are not able to generate enough clients each month to pay their bills. Look at your model and do the math – if you’re stuck with a model that’s not working, don’t keep your head stuck in the sand. Open your eyes to what your situation is telling you. You need new ways to generate income – different services, formats, approaches, products and programs that offer your expertise in new ways that will provide ongoing, consistent revenue. If you keep doing what isn’t working, you’ll fail miserably.

2) Your focus is misplaced

In my workshops and seminars, I commonly hear entrepreneurs obsessed with concerns about blogging, twitter, Facebook and other social media endeavors, when they don’t have a way to earn money in their business.  Don’t focus your time on social media or building an audience before you’ve figured out what you’re doing in your business — what you want to provide, offer, or sell.  Get clear on your offers first and creating viable products and services. Then you can worry about tweeting and blogging.

3)  Your audience is a mismatch

Another serious marketing problem is that the audience you’ve attracted – through your writing, speaking, or services — is not the audience or community you need or want. I’ve seen examples of new coaches, for instance, who aren’t sustaining themselves through one-on-one coaching, so they decide to offer high-end mastermind group coaching programs ($50,000 for an 6-month mastermind, for example) because they see others do it. They expect to send out a newsletter to their audience, and instantly generate 10 customers at this level. But it doesn’t work this way (despite what scores of “millionaire” success coaches promise if you buy their services.)  For your high-end programs to work, you must have an audience that wants it and can afford it.  You also have to have created a fabulous program that is worth that price tag (in its outcomes and value the customer receives).

As one who believes that everything is “energy,” I’ve seen that you must also be able to resonate energetically with a sense of worthiness and value  in order to earn the level of money you want (check out Gay Hendricks great book The Big Leap to learn about the “upper limit problem” so many people experience).  If you have internal fears and doubts about the value of your programs, you won’t be able to attract great fees.

Finally, you need access to a large enough audience that will resonate with your products, pricing, and your particular service benefits.  This doesn’t happen overnight. You can’t just throw out an expensive product and expect folks to flock to it just because you’ve created it.

4)  You don’t like what you’ve created

Another serious marketing mistake is that you’ve decided to focus on a service offering or a customer base that you simply don’t like, because you thought you had to. I can’t count the number of small businesses I’ve advised around this issue, and how distraught the owner is in the realization that what she’s created is now the wrong fit for what she wants to do in the world.  If you hate what you’ve built and who you’re serving, you have two choices – continue supporting something that is no longer aligned with your values and preferences, or change directions. Which do you think makes the most sense? (Here’s a tip – if you hate your customers or what you’re doing in the world, it will hate you back).

5)   Your pricing is off

Pricing of your programs and products is not about what you want to earn – it’s about what the market will bear, as well as the perceived value of what you’re offering. You may think your product is life-changing or the best thing since sliced bread, but if it’s simply too expensive or ill-fitted for the audience you’re reaching, you won’t get it off the ground.

6)  Your services don’t stand out

In every business or consulting arena, you’re in a global economy, competing against the best of the best in the world.  You have to know specifically what makes your products and services better, different, unique than everything that’s out there, and be adept at communicating that. Why should anyone care about what you have to offer, and how can you prove — and validate — that what you have is truly different or better? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you won’t succeed in this highly competitive terrain.

7)   You lack the readiness and willingness to do what’s required

Marketing your business (or your book, product, service, etc.) is a full-time job. If you’re not willing to do it, you have to hire someone who is or get marketing support in another way.  People won’t just flock to you, with cash in their hands. You have to earn their trust and respect over time, through engagement, service, information, and relationship-building.  And you need ambassadors for your work as well. You can’t do this alone and in a vacuum.

How to avoid these seven marketing mistakes?

Start by answering the following questions.  If you don’t have the answers, go back to the drawing board and figure them out before you take one more step in your business:

1)  What is your platform – how do you get the word out about your products/services?

2)  What is your audience – the size, and their geographic, demographic and psychographic  profiles?

3)  How can you grow your audience substantially? What is your reach and how do you spread the word about your work?

4)  Who is in your loyal community (colleagues, peers and supporters) and how can you build it – who are your committed ambassadors who will share the news about your great business and offerings?

5)  What makes your services and products different, better, unique than anything else on the market?

6)  Are your services, pricing, and offerings a match to the people who know about you and care about what you’re doing?

7)   What is your personal brand – what unique experience do you deliver and what is your business known for — emotionally, aesthetically and functionally?

If you care about making your small business work, don’t spend another minute wasting money, time and energy on directions that won’t be fruitful. Find an adviser or support system that can guide you through the landmines of entrepreneurial life, and help you achieve what you want to, and earn the money you need, while making the difference you long to.

(If you need help growing your business, download my free Business Overview Assessment  and check out my new Prosperity Marketing Mindset coaching program to help you understand what steps to take next.)

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Posted in Advice, Breakthroughs, Careers, Inspiration for Change, Marketing Support, Women in Business, Women in Leadership | 4 Comments »

Why You Stay in a Career You Hate

Monday, March 19th, 2012

Speaking and working with people every day who are in careers or jobs they dislike intensely, I’ve asked myself, “How did we get here?  How has it happened that so many thousands of people have become despondent, angry and disgruntled about what they do for a living?” 

Clearly, there are many factors at play here, including the rise of technology – that makes setting boundaries around our professional lives virtually impossible.  Further, in the past 30 years, we’ve become slaves to the almighty dollar, addicted to acquiring things we can’t afford, which keeps us working long and hard just to break even.  Additionally, many people jumped into certain jobs or fields early in their careers, only to discover 10 or 20 years later that they can’t find a way out.

But I believe there are even deeper reasons for this epidemic of people hating what they do each day for their living.  These reasons touch on underlying emotional, spiritual and behavioral conditions, and reveal a deep disconnection to what it means to live joyfully, authentically, and meaningfully.

I know some folks will debunk this post, claiming they have absolutely no choice in the matter, and that they’re stuck doing this work.  But I don’t see life that way.  I believe we always have new choices, new paths, new solutions available to us, if we can simply commit to creating a better life.

Based on the feedback I’ve received from hundreds of professionals here and abroad, I’ve observed the following eight core reasons why people hate their careers.  As I share these, know this – I’m not sitting in judgment of any of these; in fact, I’ve lived through each and every one of these conditions.

1)   You don’t know yourself

The vast majority of people I see in the workplace just don’t know themselves at all.  When asked, “What’s your top priority in life and in your career?  What would you give up anything for?” or “When you’re 90 looking back, what do you want to have done, been, and left behind? “  I get blank stares and mouths hanging open.  People don’t know themselves well or deeply anymore.  Why?  Perhaps because we don’t make time in our lives to get to know ourselves – we’re just too over-the-top busy.  Or perhaps the process of knowing oneself deeply is intimidating and scary.  Whatever the reason – if you don’t know who you are, at your core, and what you stand for and care about, how can you lead a life that aligns with your needs, values, and interests? (My free Career Path Self-Assessment will help you know yourself better, if you want to.)

2) You know yourself, but you make yourself wrong

In this situation, you know yourself and what you want, but you simply make yourself wrong.  You tell yourself, “Yeah, I want to change, but I’m wrong to feel that way.”  Or “I’m lucky to have a job, so I shouldn’t rock the boat” or “I have so much – I should just feel blessed and not complain.”  So many people (women in particular) doubt the validity of their feelings or repress their deepest longings because they think they’re wrong to have them.  Until you can make yourself “right,” you can’t find peace or joy.

3)  You’ve lost the courage to act

For many who know what they want, they’ve lost the courage to take hard action.  We’ve been seduced by some erroneous concept that life should be easy.  Where did we get that idea?  Making life change isn’t easy, but it’s so worth it, especially if you hate where you are today. It takes courage, grit, and commitment to bring about lasting change, and you can do it, but only if you decide to connect to your own internal power, courage and fortitude.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON FORBES.COM 


Why do you stay in a career that makes you miserable?  Can you make a different choice?

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5 Key Steps to Your New Career in 2012

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

As a career coach, I spend a great deal of time reviewing the details of people’s lives and careers and making sense of the seeming randomness.  With clients who want a new career, I always begin by having them complete my Career Path Self-Assessment, an in-depth survey which leads them to deeply examine their early selves, their previous jobs, and a variety of other important information.  From this array of data, I uncover core life themes, roadblocks, unique skills and talents, and lost passions.  I put this all together to identify more fulfilling and exciting professional directions.

While it’s very helpful to have a great career coach, the reality is that you can do this on your own.  I’ve found after years of coaching that there are five core steps everyone can take to identify new career paths that will align more closely with who you are, and bring you more success and reward. 

Why should you take these steps? 
Because you have the right to love what you do and do what you love.  People like to claim that loving your work is a pipedream – but those who defend that view are wrong.  Enjoying your career and feeling there’s deep meaning and purpose in it is not just for a select, fortunate few.   It’s for anyone who believes in him/herself and takes the right kind of action.

CLICK HERE here to read my full article on Forbes about the top five most effective steps to take to figure yourself out and get on track to a more fulfilling career.

What did you love to do in your early years, and are you drawing on those skills, gifts and talents today?

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Posted in Advice, Careers, Following Your Dreams, Kathy Caprino, success, Women in Business | 2 Comments »

How to Avoid the Top 5 Public Speaking Mistakes

Saturday, November 19th, 2011

On Wednesday, I posted an article on my Forbes blog

microphone

Image by Daehyun Park via Flickr

called: “Why So Many “Experts” Are Terrible Speakers: Top 5 Public Speaking Mistakes.”

I was as suprised as anyone when this piece went viral.  Over 110,000 folks viewed the article piece as of this morning (it was one of the top three most popular pieces on Forbes the day it was published!), and thousands shared it on their social networks.  Clearly this topic touched a nerve. 

My guess is that thousands of folks have attended live and online conferences and workshops this past year, and have been as astounded as I about the lack of ability of the speaker to connect, enliven, motivate and educate us, or to leave us with anything lasting or meaningful.  It’s a great disappointment when you plunk down your hard-earned money to learn something new from an “expert” and to be inspired, only to leave feeling deflated and let down.

As a frequent speaker at live and online conferences, I’m in the company of hundreds of folks each year who are top authors, experts and consultants.  In many cases, these are great thought leaders who perform public speaking as just one aspect of their professional endeavors.   In attending these programs, I’m continually shocked at how many content experts are, in fact, wholly ineffective speakers .

My colleague, Krista Carnes, Founder of Booking Authors — a consulting firm that helps experts and authors connect with new opportunities and audiences, and a member of the Maestro Market start up team – shared this:

“One big mistake I find is the incorrect assumption that speaking at a “big name” event or two is the only way to get attention. There are no “small” events when you’re starting out.  Most people, no matter how much passion they have, are simply not ready to get in front of large audiences. In striving for those large opportunities only, many overlook exciting, creative ways to engage with their communities and tribes – ways that nurture the development of presentation skills and personal presence that are crucial in today’s digitally-driven age.”

Observing amazing speakers who move and motivate us (watch some TED Talks for inspiring examples), and comparing them to ineffective speakers, I’ve observed five core behaviors that keep speakers from achieving their key goals – to motivate, enliven, inform and educate.   Below are the top five mistakes content experts often make as speakers when trying to engage audiences, stimulate crowds, and connect deeply with others. 

I’ve made some of these mistakes myself, and have lived the experience of losing an audience.  None of us are born astounding speakers, and there’s always more to learn, but the first step is to acknowledge your own gaps.

TOP 5 PUBLIC SPEAKING MISTAKES – FAILING TO…

1. Meet the Audience Where They Are

First and foremost, speakers must remember that their deep knowledge about a topic isn’t (usually)shared by the audience.  Listeners aren’t in the same place you are – they haven’t spent years studying this area, researching it, living it.  It’s new to them.  So you must meet your audience where they are, finding a way to hook them in.  Then take them on a stimulating journey of initial discovery through full-out engagement so that your key points can be understood and embraced.   Assuming that they know what you know, or care in the way you care, is a mistake.  You have to generate a significant level of interest from the beginning, and pique that interest continually throughout your presentation.

2. Make a Heartfelt Human Connection

In the past few weeks, I’ve been a part of a number of national events that highlight speakers who are at the top of their fields.  I’ve seen evidence that being a nationally-recognized guru doesn’t mean you have any degree of social or emotional intelligence.  I’m finding that numbers of these experts simply fail to engage us on an emotional, heartfelt level – they don’t connect in a personal way, or give the sense that they truly care a whit about the audience and its ability to productively use the vast information they know and share.  In the end, their lack of a human connection makes their presentations feel overwhelming and unsettling– they push us away with all data, facts and statistics, and no heart and soul. They’re simply not likable.

3.  Show Respect for the Listener

Again, I’ve seen scores of speakers alienate an audience by expressing disdain or criticism for some common behavior or thinking.  For example, if you’re speaking to social media novices about what they need to do to get up to speed in the social media arena, you must understand that many folks are afraid and insecure about taking the plunge, and you need to be gentle with them, not judgmental, critical or flip. 

In the end, if you hate or disrespect your listeners for their lack of savvy in your area of expertise, they’ll hate you back.  And if you leave your audience feeling that they are losers, failures or unworthy of your respect, then you’ll achieve the opposite of your desired effect – you’ll bruise their sense of self-worth and create a huge rift between you and your audience.You’ll lose them forever.

4.  Inspire Follow-Up Thinking/ Action

It’s not enough to present information without inspiring people to follow up with new action or thinking.  Your words and messages simply won’t last in the minds of the audience members if you don’t motivate your listeners to DO something different with what you’ve just shared and taught.  Think about how you can connect and engage with your audience after your talk, and help them on a path of thinking or behaving differently, making use of your information in ways that better their lives.  If you don’t, you’ve missed a key outcome of serving as a speaker/presenter – to inspire positive action.

5.  Leave a Lasting Message of Significance

Finally, with the millions of webcasts, seminars, workshops and talks available today to us –either in person or online — your talk will not stand out or be effective if you don’t leave the audience with a clear message of significance – something lasting, meaningful, and impactful.  If you’re simply sharing dry information, but don’t touch on the vital “essence” of your material (the living, breathing heart of what you care about and why we should care), you’ll fail as a speaker.

In the end, it’s not easy to be a compelling speaker or presenter, and deep knowledge of a topic doesn’t necessarily contribute to your ability to reach people.  But addressing these mistakes will help you communicate in ways that make you the speaker that people ask for most and remember best.

I’d love to hear your thoughts – What is your deepest public speaking challenge and how are you overcoming it?  Thanks for sharing.

 

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Posted in Advice, Careers, Kathy Caprino, Leadership, Marketing Support | 1 Comment »

Before You Ask Someone for Free Help, Reconsider

Friday, October 7th, 2011

HELPI’ve been utterly floored this past month by the volume of requests I’ve received for FREE help from complete strangers, and by the nature and content of these requests. 

The bulk of these requests have come in from readers of my article LinkedIn: Busting 8 Damaging Myths About What It Can Do For Your Career, that ran on Forbes.com on September 13th.  It surprised all of us (the Forbes editors and me) as it blew up on the front page and was viewed by over 60,000 people.  

That week, I literally heard from over 150 folks asking for all sorts of free help and I continue to get requests, including my review and recommendations on: their LinkedIn profiles, resumes, job or career options, potential career changes, interview approaches, how to get testimonials, and on and on.

What I’m stunned about is that in all of these requests for free help, not ONE person offered to pay for my time, or suggested bartering with something of value.  They simply wanted help without offering anything in return.   Perhaps I’m crazy, but I would never ask a stranger for help in this way.

Further, a good number of these requests for free help were:

1)      Urgent – “I have an urgent career decision to make. Can you respond asap?”

REALLY?

 2)      Disrespectful – These folks didn’t care or consider for a second that I make my living offering career counsel.  I’m not a non-profit or a charity; I’m a business owner.  And I’m really good at what I do, after years of training and experience.  It takes a significant amount of time and energy to review someone’s information/situation and offer tailored recommendations.  I deserve to be paid for my time and effort. 

(For the record, I do offer my time for free, but on a very selective basis to organizations and non-profits that have a broad reach and help hundreds of people through their services.)

 3)      Narcissistic – It’s all about them, and what they need and how soon.  Never a second thought about what I might need in order to be of service to them.

4)      Clueless – It’s clear that these folks hadn’t a clue that theirs was one of hundreds of similar requests, and as such, impossible to accommodate without their becoming a client of mine, and having time scheduled in my calendar.

Please don’t get me wrong.  I’m truly honored and excited that my writing touched a chord and resonated with so many people, and I certainly hope that trend continues.  And I do LOVE to be of service to people, helping them make positive change.  And I love hearing from folks about how my writing impacted them.

That being said, I’m tired and fed up with free help requests.  It remains shocking to me that so many people all across the globe who want help forget to be considerate and respectful of those they’re asking support from.  Come on people!  Let’s reverse that trend.

My hope is that going forward, anyone who asks another individual for free help will be more considerate and thoughtful prior to making the request.  Think about what the helping party deserves for his/her support, what it will take from them to give you the help you want, and what you can offer in return.  If you can’t offer money, think about what you can provide that would be meaningful.  NEVER ask without considering these issues beforehand.

One more thing – for every request you make for FREE help, offer someone else free help instead.

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Posted in Advice, Careers, Inspiration for Change, Kathy Caprino | 8 Comments »

The Wrong Kind of Help – Six Key Traits of “Help” that Hurts

Sunday, May 15th, 2011

As an empowerment researcher, I’ve studied for eight years what constitutes “helpful” help versus advice or counsel that diminishes and demeans, or sends you in the wrong direction.

The sad news is that thousands of so-called “helpers” in our world today – our family members, friends, service providers of all walks (doctors, lawyers, financial consultants, therapists, coaches, counselors, intuitive, healers, etc.) – simply haven’t done the inner and outer work they need to, to offer empowering, uplifting support.  Instead, the assistance they give is the disempowering kind, dragging us down, keeping us stuck at the same problematic level we seek to rise above.

In my therapy training and work as a career coach, I’ve learned (and tell my clients openly) that only they can discern if the help they’re getting is right for them.  And they should walk away immediately when it’s not.

Each individual has his/her own unique personality, values, beliefs, traits, needs, and priorities – and these coalesce in a way that is individual and special. So the help you receive needs to honor that individuality – and make you right, not wrong. 

My advice to folks seeking help is this – if after the first meeting with the helper you feel empowered, excited, and validated,  and if the help allows you to progress in satisfying ways, then it’s a good match.  If on the other hand, you feel demeaned or misunderstood, challenged in negative ways, and discouraged,  then it’s time to change your helper.

What Kind of Help is the Hurting Kind?

The following are hallmarks of assistance that is wrong for you – and ends up being hurtful not helpful.

You’ll know “bad” help when:

  1. The helper claims s/he is an expert about you (it’s not true – you’re the expert about you)
  2. The help is one-size-fits-all, that applies the same tools and approaches to everyone  – it’s not tailored to your individualized case or scenario
  3. The helper assumes you need “fixing” or believes you’re the problem
  4. The help you receive keeps you stuck  –  you keep experiencing the same the problems over and over
  5. The helper is enmeshed with you – s/he does not support you to grow beyond the help they give
    (I hate to say it, folks, but there are many therapists, coaches and consultants out there who WANT you to keep you coming back because of the money it makes them or because they want you to need them.  I see this in some exorbitantly-paid therapists and consultants all the time.)
  6. Receiving help is a negative experience that drains you of your vitality, hope, and excitement for life. (Or, on the other hand, the help is so overly-optimistic that it doesn’t reflect reality and leads you astray).

 My world is about helping professional women achieve their highest visions.  As I’ve moved into the leadership arena, I’ve seen a lot out there that calls itself “leadership coaching” for women, claiming that it helps women advance.  But what I see instead is a good deal of faulty advice or information that tells women they’re wrong for how they feel and what they want. 

To counter this, I’m launching a new yearlong, 12-part Career Enhancement Program for corporate women for corporate organizations, designed to enliven and support professional women to attain the career visions they hold most exciting and fulfilling.  I aim to provide the highest form of help I can – assistance that achieves the following goals:

Empowering Support:

1)      Validates you – Makes you right (not wrong); focuses NOT on “fixing”you, but honoring who you are at your core

2)      Tailors the help to your specific values, beliefs and needs – not one-size-fits- all

3)      Strengthens and stretches you, helping you see your greatest talents and strengths as well as growth areas

4)      Takes you to a new level – so you overcome previous challenges and are ready for new ones

5)      Encourages you to be more of who you already are – authentically and with integrity, so you can help others
expand and grow as well

6)      Fills you up so you want to experience even more of life and work – gives you a deep and thorough understanding of who you are and where you want to go, realistically.

If your organization is committed to inclusion and diversity, and wants to support professional women’s growth, I hope you’ll reach out – I’d love to offer this 12-month Career Enhancement Program to you and your colleagues.

In the meantime, please remember that getting outside your own head and asking for support to overcome your specific challenges is vitally important.  But choosing the right kind of help– the kind that allows you to move toward the highest and best version of you – is the most important choice of all.  And only you can choose the best help for you.

What kind of help works best for you? And have you ever received help that hurts?

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The Seven Key Traits of a Great Leader

Monday, March 21st, 2011

In the past several months, I’ve immersed myself in the process of understanding more about what makes a truly great leader in the corporate world.  I’ve also explored the current research and thinking about women’s leadership styles and approaches versus men’s, and I’ve compared what others are saying to my own experiences and research with women in corporate leadership positions.   I’m also focusing my own work now on helping women grow their leadership capabilities and reach their highest potential as leaders.

It’s been a fascinating journey of learning which has led me to reframe some of my views about what it takes to be a positive leader who, through her own vision, efforts, and energy, can bring about deeply instrumental change in our world and our workforce.

From where I sit today, great leadership is comprised of these seven behavioral traits:

The leader…

1)      Embodies the way – She thinks, acts and behaves in ways that are congruent to what she holds to be true and valuable, in her company and in her world. She is a role model in every way for what she stands for and what she espouses.

2)      Inspires a shared vision – She envisions what is possible for the future, and infuses tremendous positive spirit and energy into that vision, allowing everyone who interacts with her a window into what is possible through collaboration, cooperation and contribution.

3)      Challenges content and process – She understands that adhering to the status quo and accepting things as they are is not the pathway to change and growth.  She uncovers new (yet unthreatening) ways of thinking, being, and doing – and encourages others to do the same — in both “content” and “process. ”  These new ways allow for greater expansion and success.

4)      Empowers others – She invests time, energy and commitment in empowering and engaging others, building their self-reliance, independence and growth as individuals and as collaborators.

5)      Integrates the whole – She understands that when people bring their whole selves to a task, and when unity can be achieved rather than compartmentalization, the outcome is much greater than the sum of the parts.  She is an integrated individual herself, and fosters integration and wholeness in others and throughout the organization.

6)      Supports inclusion over hierarchy – She operates under the belief that inclusion is preferred over exclusion, and centrality is preferred over hierarchy.  She doesn’t long to sit alone at the top.  Instead, she wants to be in the center (in other words, at the heart) of a large and effective web of inclusion that does what it sets out to do, with ease, clarity, grace, and focus (for more on the web of inclusion, see Sally Helgesen’s The Web of Inclusion and The Female Advantage)

7)      Fosters the heart and spirit – Finally, she creates a supportive, healthy environment that allows all those involved to behave, think, and perform from a heart-based place, where they can feel and experience themselves as personally and professionally aligned.  She shapes an organization in which there is a solid common ground between what the individual wants and what the company wants from the individual.  Employees are able to engage their hearts and spirits in their work, rather than being diminished, penalized or alienated for being true to who they really are. 

(For more in-depth coverage on several of these ideas, check out The Leadership Challenge, by Kouzes and Posner.  The ideas above represent my female perspective on some of its teachings).

*  *  *  *  *

In the end, the great visionary leader knows that the best and most effective organizations foster individuals’ natural talents, growth, strength, and self-reliance.  They nurture employees’ ability to connect to who they truly are.  Further, great leaders allow individuals to demonstrate at work what they know to be true of themselves, as well as give form to their life intentions in ways that are in service to the organization as well as the community and world at large. 

In my lifetime, I’ve had the chance to serve under only a very small number of great leaders.  But I know this to be true – when you do, it can be a life-changing experience.

So, what are your thoughts on the above leadership traits?  Does your view of great corporate leadership match mine?  I’d love to hear your thoughts. 

Which behavioral traits do you think are essential for an effective and compelling leader?  And how do you think men and women are different as corporate leaders? Thanks for sharing!

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Posted in Breakthroughs, Careers, Empowerment, Featured, Kathy Caprino, Leadership, Men vs. Women at Work, success, Women in Leadership | 4 Comments »

Do America’s Employers Really Care about Women’s Issues?

Monday, March 14th, 2011

Last Thursday, I had a wonderfully powerful meeting with three inspiring colleagues who are authors affiliated with the publisher of my book Breakdown Breakthrough – Berrett-Koehler Publishers.  Each of these folks has a breadth of knowledge and diversity of experience that boggles the mind – they are exciting to be with, and fascinating to learn from.  They are Larry Ackerman of The Identity Circle, Jesse Stoner of The Seapoint Center, and Katherine Armstrong. (Thanks, my friends, for a deeply enlivening gathering!)  I highly recommend following their work – you’ll be glad you did.

Based on what happened in our gathering, I’m reminded once again of the immense power of groups, and the transformative effect of open-hearted, authentic connection and collaboration. 

One question we explored a bit that is near and dear to my heart was this – Do American employers really care about women’s issues in the workplace, or about advancing women into the ranks of corporate leadership?  

I’m saddened to say that based on my work with thousands of women nationwide from hundreds of organizations around the country, I’m not at all convinced that a critical mass of U.S. employers care about advancing women to the senior ranks, or are ready to commit hard dollars to it – not yet.   Data speaks, and today, women represent only 15% of the leadership in U.S. corporations.

In other countries (Norway, for instance), there are official, stated mandates and goals for the number of women who are to be supported to advance to leadership within corporations.  As far as I know, no such stated goals or mandates exist today in the U.S. Further, the U.S. ranks 72nd in the world, in terms of the percentage of women leaders elected to a national governing body, behind Cuba and China.   How can this be? And why is it?

The word on the street in my consulting and coaching circles is that “women’s issues don’t pay,” and “women’s empowerment efforts just don’t get traction.”  I believe this has indeed been true here in the US during the past years, and I want to get to the bottom of this notable lack of a sanctioned commitment to advancing women in corporate leadership. 

What do you think are the real reasons behind this?

From the qualitative research I’ve conducted, there are numerous possible explanations, including:

1)      Those of us who care about this cause haven’t made a compelling enough fact-based argument to government or to American corporate leadership that advancing women is a MUST HAVE for the success of American business.

And/Or

2)      We HAVE made a compelling argument with irrefutable data, research, and statistics, but the underlying “white male competitive career model” in place in corporate America remains intractable.

And/Or

3)      As with most things in life, if we’re not forced to change (by an outside intervention, event or mandate), we won’t shift, even if we know we’re currently not on the right track.

I’m on a mission to address all of these issues, and to support a breakthrough movement for corporate women.   For instance, I’m in the process of co-developing a new software assessment tool (based on my yearlong research and book Breakdown Breakthrough) that will help professional women explore their efficacy, productivity and engagement in their current job and workplace.  It aims to uncover too the risk level of women in all ranks of experiencing at least one of the 12 common yet “hidden” crises working women face today.  Where risk is widespread, we’ll provide follow-up support and training to help women overcome these crises. 

Secondly, I’m focused on the development of new leadership training models and consulting programs that will help both men and women in corporate America deconstruct the outmoded “ male competitive career model” that many workplaces still support, and build a new, inclusive model that honors and nurtures diversity. 

I simply refuse to give up.  For me, this outcome – of ushering women into the ranks of corporate leadership in greater and greater numbers each year — is a MUST have for American business.  Supporting a full-out breakthrough movement for women in America is where it’s at for me. 

So, what about you?  Do you think America truly cares about women’s issues as they relate to the workforce? Are you seeing evidence that corporations across the country are taking up the charge to help women grow in their leadership and management roles – and committing time, energy, and resources to this in an outward, measurable manner?  Are they walking the talk, or simply giving lip-service?

Please share your candid views and experience.   Tell me where I’m wrong – show me proof that corporate America does care in a big and widespread way about advancing women.  Show me where it’s working.  And tell me – What do you think we need to do today to make measurable strides in advancing a critical mass of women into corporate leadership.

Thank you for your input!

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Posted in Breakthroughs, Careers, Challenges, Kathy Caprino, Women in Business, Women in Leadership | 5 Comments »

Why “Good” Marketing Advice Can Lead You Astray

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

A significant number of my awesome coaching and consulting colleagues and friends across the country have shared with me in the past year that they’ve hired outside marketing help with disappointing (or disastrous) results.  Despite finding “experts” who seem to have good reputations and produce solid results for others, my colleagues found that the marketing advice they received simply wasn’t effective or helpful.

Curious as to deeper reasons behind the lack of efficacy of this marketing  help,  I asked my friends some questions about it:

  1. Did the marketing advice you get “feel” right to you when you got it
  2. Did you feel that the marketing expert really “got” you – understood you and respected where you were coming from, was supportive of you
  3. Was the marketing advice aligned with what you really believe, deep in your heart
  4. Did the advice honor your unique views, perspectives and experiences
  5. Did the copy, products and programs you were led to create feel like a natural outgrowth of you?
  6. Did the new website or program or free gift that you created with the marketing expert make you feel proud and happy with the end result?
  7. Did you feel equal in the relationship, or did you feel that they were the expert and you were the beginner?

If the answer to any of these questions was “no,” it turns out that the marketing advice may have been “sound,” but it wasn’t RIGHT for them.

The process of finding the right marketing support provider is exactly the same as going about finding the right doctor, financial consultant, virtual assistant, or other support professional.   It’s not enough that the individual has helped others, or has a “good reputation,” or seems successful.  There are skillions of folks who fit that bill.

What does matter is that they are the right fit for you – that they are empowered supporters of you, and understand what you want, why you want it, and how you want to go about getting it.  It’s about process here, not just about content. 

Further, it’s critical that you like and trust your helper.  If you follow the advice of someone you don’t like or respect, you subconsciously sabotage yourself and limit your success.  You’re telling yourself that despite this person feeling “off” to you, they must know better than you, and that you don’t know enough.  That core self-message undermines the entire outcome of what you’re trying to achieve – bringing about great, new aligned clients and customers whom you wish to serve.

How to Choose the Right Helper for You

Here are several key criteria that must be met in order for a marketing consultant or coach to be a good fit and to give you more than you pay for.  If you want to be pleased with the outcome, and find enlivening marketing support that helps you achieve the outcomes you want in ways that are aligned with who you are, ask yourself:

Does the provider:

  • Take into account your uniqueness and differences from others in your field
  • Feel  in alignment with you, in terms of aesthetics, values, priorities, authenticity, communication, and style
  • Want you to be happy with their services, and will do what is necessary for you to be more than satisfied?
  • Have proven results with others who are like-minded with you?
  • Have marketing materials, website, programs, and products that you feel are high-quality and high-content and that you’d like to emulate?
  • Price their programs in a way that ensures you’ll generate significantly more money within a year from the outcomes of their support than you’ll pay them?

Finally, does it feel “right” and “good” to work with this individual?  Does s/he empower you, or bring you down?

Spending money wisely is a hallmark of successful individuals and business owners.  Please…think carefully before investing in outside support.  Make sure that your service providers are capable of helping you be all you wish to be in the world.  Feel free to say “no” when it’s not working.  Bring up your concerns and ask for change or resolution.  If you don’t get want you need, be prepared to walk away from the relationship when you sense that this partnership is not for you or for your highest good.  Don’t wait to ask for what you know you need and want.

Are you spending money today in a support relationship that isn’t supportive?  Might today be the day to say “no more?”

 

 

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Posted in Advice, Breakthroughs, Challenges, Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, Inspiration for Change, Kathy Caprino, Marketing Support, Small Business, Uncategorized, Women in Business | 4 Comments »

Three Critical Success Steps for Professional Women

Sunday, January 16th, 2011

In the past several years, I’ve had the great pleasure of coaching and partnering with some amazing women in the U.S. – senior managers and leaders in Fortune 500 companies and non-profits who absolutely love their work, relish their roles, and feel they’re able to apply their many gifts and talents to achieve heart-aligned professional goals.  These women are fortunate indeed, but they’ve also co-created their great success through hard work, commitment, and dedication.

Yet even among women leaders who’ve accomplished much, I’ve observed one behavior that holds women back from greater leadership success.  It’s this – when women are concerned about their perceived weaknesses or knowledge gaps, they tend to isolate, and work hard to hide their “imperfections.”  They don’t realize that we simply can’t reach our potential if we don’t 1) admit the need for growth and 2) find empowering help to get it.

In order for professional women to stretch to reach their best, they need to take action to close their power gaps, and find support on a continual basis from inspiring, successful, heart-aligned women leaders.  But how?

Take these three action steps:

1)      Find a Visual Role Model/Mentor Who Inspires You – OUTSIDE of your company

Find an inspiring female mentor who is a living, breathing example of where you want to go and who you wish to be.  Make sure this female leader is speaking, behaving, managing and leading as you wish to. And have your most relied-upon mentor come from OUTSIDE of your firm.

 A wonderful client of mine mentioned to me that her male boss liked the idea of her finding a mentor, and recommended she use a fellow one level above her at the company as her mentor.  My response to that was, “Sure, that’s fine, but it’s not enough.”

You need to find a powerful mentor OUTSIDE your company as well, and make sure it’s a woman!  Yes, men can and will be wonderful supporters of your work, and you can find fabulous mentors within your company.  Do it. 

 But for the one mentor who is going to help you be all you wish to be, ask a female leader outside your immediate realm – someone with whom you can be perfectly authentic and candid —  a woman who will have your best interests at heart.  Find an individual who isn’t tempted to feel competitive with you, doesn’t have an agenda working with you, and isn’t compromised when you tell her exactly how you feel. 

Why choose a woman as your mentor?  Because we believe what we see – and when you interact closely with other powerful and enlightening female leaders who are expert at achieving their passion, power, and purpose at work, then you’ll be one step closer to that as well.

2)      Join Your Industry’s Best National and Regional Organizations for Women

As female leaders and managers, it’s essential that you connect with women in your region and nationally who are engaged in developing your profession and moving it forward for women. This is not to bash men, but corporate America was founded on a “white male competitive career model” that simply doesn’t fit a majority of women.   This will change – it has to.  But it will take a very long time. 

In the meantime, there are still powerful assumptions and expectations about what makes a successful professional that don’t, in general, align with thousands of women’s priorities, values and goals today.  (See my book Breakdown Breakthrough for more about this ill-fitting model and the 12 “hidden” crises working women face today).

So don’t wait. Locate the leading organizations in your field that support women, and join them.  Invest in membership (yes, my friends, you must invest in yourself) and become active in your chapter and nationally – it will change how you see yourself, your work, and your possibilities.

3)      Close Your “Power Gaps”

Finally, no matter who you are, you have insecurities (unless you’re a narcissist).  There will always be areas that you wish were stronger, that you’re afraid others will shine the light on, exposing your flaws and “weaknesses.”  It’s universal – we’re ALL afraid of being “found out” to some degree. 

So rather than spend any more precious time and energy hiding or over-compensating for the areas in which you need to grow,  get into the cage with your fears and do something about them.  Figure out exactly what training, education, credentials, experiences or new knowledge you need to acquire to feel more competent in your job, and go out and get them. And if you can, ask your employer to support you in this training and education.  Once you’ve addressed your perceived weaknesses, you’ll be amazed at how much more powerful and confident you feel and act.

Trust me when I say that getting help to courageously address your competency gaps will change you, and you’ll be delighted with the outcome.

What are your “power gaps?”  Where do you feel “less than?”  And who can serve as your powerful female mentor to help you overcome these gaps?

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Posted in Breakthroughs, Careers, Empowerment, Inspiration for Change, Kathy Caprino, Women in Leadership | No Comments »

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